"The Role Of Religion In The Peace Process In Sierra Leone"
Address By The President Of Sierra Leone
Alhaji Dr Ahmad Tejan Kabbah
Tripoli, January 2004

Mr. Chairman
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen:

As Head of State I am obviously very busy. However, every time I am invited to make a speech or give a keynote address about peace, any aspect of peace in my country, I always try to accept such an invitation. On this occasion, as always, I am grateful for the opportunity to share with my audience some thoughts about a process that has changed the lives of the people of Sierra Leone for the better. On the one hand, I do so with pride, pride because of what we were able to achieve against all odds. On the other hand, I speak with a feeling of consternation. This is because I am still wondering why a small beautiful nation like Sierra Leone, once a symbol of stability in the entire African Continent, was plunged into a horrendous armed conflict for almost eleven years.

Whatever the reason, or whatever the root causes that have been attributed to it, the conflict that devastated Sierra Leone between 1991 and 2001 was not a civil war. It was not a war of liberation in any sense of the term, nor was it a tribal, ideological or religious war. It was one that bore the imprints of external aggression. It was hatched, orchestrated and directed externally with the sole objective of using the legitimate concerns of the people as a ploy to plunder and control the rich diamond resources of the country. Sadly, the process was also characterized by acts of brutality. External economic interests were the principal beneficiaries of the illicit trade in diamonds and arms, and these heinous crimes.

Unfortunately, it took years of brutality perpetrated against our people, the worst West Africa has ever witnessed, and the virtual devastation of most parts of the country, for the world to understand the regional and international dimension of the conflict. It also took years before the United Nations acknowledged that there was a link between our diamonds and the illicit flow of arms into the country, and that our diamonds transiting neighbouring Liberia in particular, were indeed fuelling and prolonging the rebel conflict in Sierra Leone.

Anyhow, the war inflicted on our people was declared over two years ago on 18 January 2002. Although the overall security situation in the West African sub-region is still tenuous, we in Sierra Leone are thankful to Allah that our people now enjoy the highest level of security and safety since the 1980s.

We in Sierra Leone have come a long way. We have learned the lessons of war and the lessons of peace. Perhaps the most rewarding lesson has been that it takes tough decisions, enormous personal sacrifices and unrelenting determination to achieve peace, and a strong faith in the Almighty God.

Much has been said about the resilience of our people who never gave up in the long struggle against those who were bent on destroying their lives. They were emboldened by their strong religious convictions to stand up to their tormentors. They organized themselves into a Civil Defence Force made up mostly of traditional hunters. They organized themselves and received the unstinted support of the population. They succeeded in warding off the rebels in several parts of the country, especially at a time when for all intents and purposes the bulk of the regular army reneged on their obligation and loyalty to defend the country. Of course, one cannot imagine what the rebels would have done to the people of Sierra Leone if the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had not intervened, with the consent of my legitimate Government, in our acts of self-defence against the rebels. The important roles subsequently played by the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), and the British-led International Military Advisory Training Team (IMATT), cannot be overemphasized. All of these justify the moral rightness of our course.

Mr. Chairman, throughout the ages some wars have been fought in the name of religion. Men and nations have gone to war in defence of their religious beliefs. Or so they claim. Others have resorted to armed conflict because of religious differences. Still others have used religion as an instrument of war and of oppression. As I said earlier, ours was neither an ideological nor a religious war. It had absolutely nothing to do with the so-called clash of civilizations.

At a time when questions are being raised about the role of certain religious beliefs and interpretations in new waves of acts of terror, and at a time when some people are being cynical about Islam as a religion of peace, I can confidently say that in Sierra Leone we believe in promoting peace through, among other things, religion. We also believe in promoting religion peacefully. In Sierra Leone religion has succeeded and is continuing to succeed in playing a significant role as an instrument of peace and reconciliation.

Let me emphasize that religion can succeed in playing a role as an instrument of peace only in an environment of religious tolerance. And this is what we Sierra Leoneans take pride in. We consider religious tolerance as one of our national resources. We honour and respect our religious diversity.

It was this respect for our religious diversity that brought together religious leaders, Muslims and Christians representing various denominations, in an inter-religious setting to promote the peace process. They were inspired by the common belief in the same Deity, Allah or God, and by the virtues of peace and goodwill that are enshrined in the Holy Quran and the Holy Bible. Established in 1997, the Inter-Religious Council of Sierra Leone, as it is called, initiated informal dialogue between the Government and the rebel movement. It used its moral authority that neither the Government nor the rebels could ignore to facilitate the release of over fifty young people and children who had been abducted by the rebels. An influential and proactive member of civil society the Council encouraged mediation and conciliation as means of ending the war.

This approach by the Inter-Religious Council was consistent with the policy of my Government. The Government had adopted a two-pronged strategy for ending the war. That is, while maintaining our responsibility for ensuring the security and safety of the people of Sierra Leone against the rebel onslaught, the Government would also pursue the peace option through dialogue and conciliation.

Indeed, my Government made several unsuccessful attempts to bring Corporal Foday Sankoh, the rebel leader to the peace table. I even took the risk, while he was awaiting his appeal against a conviction for treason, of allowing him to leave our jurisdiction to travel to Lome, to attend peace talks in the Togolese capital. As part of the price of peace, we also gave him absolute pardon under relevant provisions of the Sierra Leone Constitution, before the start of substantive peace talks. This is what I mean when I said that peace requires tough decisions.

Recognizing that the leaders of the neighbouring countries, especially Liberia, were part of the equation in the peace process, representatives of the Inter-Religious Council travelled to those countries to encourage support for a peaceful solution to the conflict in Sierra Leone.

In 1999 representatives of the Inter-Religious Council of Sierra Leone were also present at the Peace Talks in Lome as observers. They facilitated an historic face-to-face encounter between the Government and rebel delegations to set the scene, indeed the mood for the peace talks. Although they were not among the official facilitators of the talks, nor did they sign as guarantors the Peace Agreement, the presence of the Inter-Religious Council representatives was felt throughout the entire peace process. I understand that they encouraged delegations of both sides to lead prayers, alternatively, at the beginning of every plenary session.

Of course, I must say that this was not unusual for Sierra Leoneans. As a practical manifestation of our religious tolerance, Islamic and Christian prayers are offered at the start of many public events. We take pride in this positive aspect of our national life.

The role of religion in the peace process in Sierra Leone was of course not restricted to the activities of the Inter-Religious Council as an institution. In the course of the rebel war, religious leaders from all the major faiths in the country urged their followers to pray for peace in mosques, churches and other religious gatherings throughout the country. Certain days in the week were dedicated to special prayers for peace. The leaders designated special days of prayer and fasting. These acts of supplication became a source of spiritual strength at a time of adversity. Prayers also enhanced the resilience of the people, and inspired them to help develop a culture of peace.

As the great Indian leader Jawaharlal Nehru once said, "Peace is not a relationship of nations. It is a condition of mind brought about by a serenity of soul… It is also a state of mind. Lasting peace can come only to a peaceful people."

In this connection one is reminded of the power of prayer that the Holy Quran and the Holy Bible teach their believers. Emphasizing the power of prayer the Holy Quran says: "Enjoin prayer on your people and be diligent in its observance… Give glory to Allah before sunrise and before sunset. Praise him day and night and you shall find comfort." The Holy Bible, for instance, in the words of Paul, says that Christians need not worry about anything, and "by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving" they should let their request be made known unto God. This is followed by the assurance that "the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds in the love and knowledge of God and of his Son Jesus Christ."

Mr. Chairman, distinguished guests, it is worth mentioning that the role of religion as a positive instrument of peace in Sierra Leone could be traced back to the pre-war period. Religious institutions have made a remarkable contribution to the development of my country. The oldest institution of higher learning in West Africa, Fourah Bay College, had its roots in religious traditions. Until recently most of our leading secondary schools in Sierra Leone were founded and maintained by Christian and Islamic missions. Incidentally, you will be interested to know that although I am a Moslem, I attended a Catholic secondary school. There are many other Sierra Leoneans who are products of our rich Islamic and Christian traditions.

Religion has always been part of our multicultural society. We have already seen how schools and institutions founded and run by religious bodies have contributed to both the spiritual and temporal development of our country. We should not allow the peaceful nature of religion, true religion, to be negated by those who use religion to incite hatred, and as a means of pursuing violence.

In Sierra Leone, religion has played an important positive role in the peace process. Now there is a new challenge. What contribution can religion and religious institutions make in the areas of peace-building and sustainable development?

I believe that the scope for such contribution not only in Sierra Leone but also in other conflict and post-conflict areas of the world is virtually unlimited. In this connection, I believe that one religious-based institution that can make a significant difference is the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).

Concurrently with the task of bridging the gap of misconceptions between the Muslim Umma and the non-Muslim world, especially in the current post-September 11 international climate, I strongly believe that the OIC, with its enormous spiritual and material wealth should translate its mission statement, its declarations and resolutions into action on behalf of its members. By so doing it would underscore that Islam is indeed a religion of peace and some 1.3 billion peace-loving peoples; a religion that promotes and builds peace, a religion that can play an exemplary role in sustainable development.

Mr. Chairman, what is religion without peace? What is peace without religion, and what is peace without development?

These are not just rhetorical questions. They represent a challenge to the OIC an organization founded on the principles of one of the greatest religions of the world, Islam. Religion must not only be preached, it must be practiced in a positive way, in the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

I thank you for your attention.